Role of wheat germ and agglutinins in treatment of experimental cryptosporidiosis

ABSTRACT

A total of 100 suckling albino mice was immunosuppressed and infected with 106 purified Cryptosporidium oocysts. The oocyst count in stool using modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique on the days post infection [pi], the histopathological examination of ileum sections and the IFN- Y serum level were assessed for the drug evaluation. The use of wheat germ agglutinin [WGA] alone or with nitazoxanide [NTZ] showed a significant reduction of excreted oocyst count started on day 7 [pi], while the use of NTZ showed a significant reduction started on day 10 [pi] in comparison with the control group. The combined therapy showed a significant reduction in comparison with NTZ received group on days 7 and 10. The histopathological examination of mice received WGA alone or with NTZ showed increased inflammatory reaction and infiltrating inflammatory cells with multiple foci of enterocyte exfoliation along the villi. The IFN-Y serum level was significantly higher than the control and NTZ received groups